


A Lifetime Of Happiness

by PinkEasterEggs



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Baby Peter Parker, Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Compliant, Engagement, F/M, Family Feels, Happy Ending, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Howard Stark's Bad Parenting, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Peter Parker is Tony Stark's Biological Child, Uncle James "Rhodey" Rhodes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-31
Updated: 2019-04-21
Packaged: 2019-12-29 23:10:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18303665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PinkEasterEggs/pseuds/PinkEasterEggs
Summary: Tony's just got engaged to Pepper after a brief spiral back into his past bad habits, following the events of Siberia. His life is just getting back on track when a vaguely familiar face of flings-past comes to give him some news.He's going to be a father.





	1. The Reveal

Tony smirked as he scrolled through social media and several online news articles. Normally, he would avoid anything someone posted about him— from thirsting teens on twitter to major news stations reporting his latest biggest blunder. But he knew there wasn’t anything negative about his most recent news-worthy moment (sure, some people still loved to attack him but he ignored those). 

TONY STARK AND PEPPER POTTS ENGAGED! 

The words were on every social media platform, followed by the picture Stark Industries uploaded of Pepper’s glittering diamond ring, congratulating the owner and CEO on recent engagement. It had only been a few hours since the reveal dropped but it seemed like every minute, a new person would post something in relation to them.

Both him and Pepper were trending on twitter with thousands of people alike posting gifs and reaction pictures of people screaming or crying in happiness over the announcement. His personal favourite was a picture of him from several years ago at an interview when he was smiling into the camera and someone had edited a bunch of love hearts around his head. All the tweets either congratulated the couple or moaned about how their chances of scoring the billionaire were gone now. 

Tony laughed as he put down his phone, the notifications still buzzing in relation to comments on his limited social media platforms and messages popping through from old buisness partners or ‘friends’. 

After years of never thinking this life was for him, here he was. A man with a fiancé. Never in his playboy days had he thought this would happen. Even recently, with the Avengers breaking up, he wouldn’t have seen this outcome several months ago.

When things with the Avengers got tense, his relationship with Pepper had fizzled out. They had both been constantly working, with Pepper flying out to California or DC or Tokyo or who evens knows where — and Tony had been working himself dry to keep the Avengers together until it all came to blows at the airport in Germany. Pepper had been the one to decide they needed to ‘go on a break’— as if they were Ross and Rachel.

And then the Avengers had broken up, half of them ending up in The Raft with an intense hatred for him that seemed only to grow with each day and he’d followed Steve to Siberia; only to discover the truth about what had happened to his parents all those years and realise that Steve had known all along. He still felt his heart skip a beat each time he thought back to seeing his ex friend standing over him, shield raised in attack. 

The months after Siberia had been hard. So much harder than he could’ve anticipated. He’d gone to help Steve and Bucky, realising the Winter Soldier was not to blame for all the attacks but instead it being Zemo. He’d gone to make peace— heal the wounds that the team had suffered from. 

Instead, he’d barely made it out of Siberia alive, his old friend abandoning him broken and injured; his best friend, Rhodey, paralysed; half the team locked up— to then become fugitives when they broke out. All in all, what had started off as a simple disagreed ended up as a full scale shitshow. Starring Tony Stark.

That was when the drinking had restarted. After years of putting his party days to an end, having not gotten completely wasted since his birthday party the year he’d had Palladium Poisoning, he lost all meaning as to why he still needed to stop. Rhodey had been preoccupied learning how to walk again, Pepper was off running the company, living their ‘break’ like it was a proper breakup and going out for drinks with guys. Even Happy had started branching out, having met a nice woman by the name of May Parker who’d been widowed a year or so earlier. 

The trauma of seeing his parents deaths, after decades of believing a lie about the car crash, burned in his thoughts. Like it had back when his parents first died, the alcohol helped numb the pain. 

It started as a few drinks in the lab, turning into a few bottles in the lab. And then one night he’d decided he wanted to hit the town, having dressed up nice and stumbled to the nicest bar. Like they had when he’d been younger, the women were all over him. Tony realised that breaking habits was hard but picking bad habits up again, was easy.

It continued like this for weeks: going to bars, getting drunk, bringing girls home, not speaking to them after they left the next morning. Pepper ignored all his calls, Happy gave him the 411 about how pissed off his ex was and the Rogues never contacted him. Years of friendship broken down into little pieces. 

Rhodey was the one who knocked some sense into Tony; he’d heard enough on the news and seen the tabloids to know his best friend was acting like he had before Afghanistan. He’d marched into Tony’s new penthouse (he’d sold the Tower a few months after the Rogues left) on his new legs and asked in the not-so-nicest way, what the hell was Tony thinking? Tony had let him rant for hours about how disappointed and upset Rhodey was before the sense was knocked into him.

He gave up the drinking and partying again, setting his eyes on the only thing he wanted: Pepper. Tony did all he could to win her back; he sent her her favourite flowers, expensive gifts and meaningful cards. However, it wasn’t until he flew out to California and they had a serious, adult conversation did they make up. Tony admitted to what happened in Siberia and how it sent him on a spiral and Pepper realised how much she’d missed the open and real version of Tony Stark that she hadn’t seen for months. 

And now, Tony thought as his phone continued to buzz, they were engaged. In less than a year— because he’s been waiting since 2008 to marry this woman, let’s be real, he didn’t want to wait any longer— he was going to be married. Pepper Potts Stark was going to be his wife. The thought of being a husband didn’t bring any of the fear or nerves he’d suspected he’d get, he just felt ready. 

It had taken them a long time and a hell of a lot of character development but here they were, future newlyweds. 

“Boss, there is a woman in the lobby asking for you,” FRIDAY spoke up, breaking Tony’s trail of thought. 

Being the billionaire he was, when’d brought the penthouse he currently lived in, he’d obviously brought the entire building as well. He pulled up cameras from the lobby, watching with a frown as a brown haired woman stood in the middle of the room, her coat double the size for her and a sad expression on her face.

“Any weapons or other evil intent on her FRI?” Tony asked, frowning at the woman on the screen. She looked kind of familiar in a hazy way but he couldn’t place her.

“Negative boss,” FRIDAY replied. “Shall i let her in?”

Tony sighed, pulling on his watch that he could turn into a gauntlet with only a moments notice. “Send her up, dear.” It only took him a minute to exit the lab and walk into the expansive living room— arriving just as the elevator dinged and the woman stepped out.

Now that Tony could see her, she looked incredibly young. Her face was soft, as if ageing was a myth to her delicate features, her eyes a deep blue and her cheeks were flushed pink. She glanced around the large room with a slightly fearful expression before they landed on Tony walking further into the large space, a slight crease to his eyebrows. Why was a teenager in a baggy coat coming to see him?

“Can i help you?” Tony asked, trying to keep himself polite. The poor girl looked ready to pass out, her face had gone pale and he was sure her knees were trembling slightly. He knew that many fans often got starstruck when they saw him but never to this extent. She was looking at him like she was either going to ruin his life or if he was going to ruin hers.

“T-Tony Stark, yeah?” She trembled out, her lips wobbling slightly. 

“That’s my name,” Tony smirked at her, frowning again when the small smile seemed to worsen the girls nerves. 

“Im sorry!” She suddenly squeaked, getting all flustered quickly. “I shouldn’t have come! I really shouldn’t of— i’m so sorry Mr Stark that i wasted your time! I’ll just be going-“

“Woah, woah, woah!” Tony yelled over her panic, stepping forward to block her exit. He wouldn’t normally try to trap a fan in his house but there were tears pooling in the girls eyes and she looked so . . . lost. There was something she needed to give or tell him: he didn’t know what but he knew it was important. 

“How about you tell me your name?” He asked, keeping his voice soft and low as to not startle her. He felt like he was talking to a frightened animal.

“My name’s Mary Fitzpatrick, sir,” she swallowed hard after speaking, watching his face in case there was any recognition. 

“Well hi, Mary,” Tony smiled softly. In all honesty, the name rang no bells but judging by her face, it should’ve. “I feel terribly bad asking you this Mary but have we met before?”

Mary sucked in a deep breathe, shaking her head again in a panic. “You don’t r-remember? I knew i shouldn’t have come— i really shouldn’t have-“

“Mary!” Tony spoke over her again, raising his voice to be heard. He cringed when she winced slightly. “Why don’t you tell me why you’re here? I’m guessing you’re slightly conflicted.” He meant it as a teasing joke but the poor girl just started to shake slightly, wrapping her arms around herself and taking a step back.

Tony waited for several seconds, wondering if the girl was ever going to talk. As he stared at her trying to control her emotions, he couldn’t help but think he knew her. There was something about the shape of her face and the deepness of her blue eyes that made him think he’d seen her before. She was a rather pretty girl, even if on the young side, and just as she was about to open her mouth, a gut wrenching realisation set in. No,no, no, no, no . . . 

“We met several months ago at the bar in Midtown.” 

“Shit,” Tony whispered, his heart hammering in his chest and a sudden loathing overtaking him. She was another one of his conquest— another pretty girl in a bar that he’d taken home to forget his troubles for several hours. Her eyes were as large as saucers now, darting between Tony and the door.

“So you do remember?” Her voice was meek, no callousness or harshness at all. She just sounded so young and vulnerable.

“How old are you?” Tony treaded the answer. He just knew that his 46 years was going to trump hers by decades.

“I’m 18,” she mumbled, tugging her coat closer to her. Tony let out a grown; he’d slept with a teenager. His drunk ass, idiotic self had slept with a teenage girl just barely out of her childhood.

“How were you in the bar?” He asked, trying to make sense of this mess. 

Mary cringed slightly, an embarrassed look overcoming her face. “Fake ID.”

“That’s irresponsible!” He pointed at her before backtracking, a sense of discomfort overcoming him as he realised how parental that sounded. The thought was cringey, considering he’d slept with this girl. Another groan escaped his mouth and he placed his head in his hands. This trumped all previous Tony Stark stupidity. Sleeping with older men and women when he’d been younger had been exciting, sure. But flipping the cards over and being the older man sleeping with a younger woman just felt wrong when the said woman was barely out of childhood and not even legally able to drink. 

“You don’t know the half of it,” Mary chuckled dryly, her eyes downcast in a self-depreciating manner. 

“Enlighten me.” Tony spoke forcefully. There was obviously another reason why she was here, surely she wasn’t one of those teenage girls who believed that sleeping together once meant they were destined to be together. 

Mary didn’t say anything, her eyes looking down still as Tony began to ramble. “What is it you want? Money? Because i’ll write whatever check you want to keep this out of the press, okay? I just got engaged, i don’t need this dampening the happy moment— oh shit, Pepper! What am i going to tell Pep . . . So how much money, Mary?”

Tears were filling Mary’s eyes again as she looked up at him with a heartbroken expression. “I don’t want your money.”

Tony let out a harsh sigh, beginning to lose his temper. This teenage girl has come to him, wishing he’d remembered their one drunken night together and was now refusing his money? What did she want?

“What do you want then Mary?” He tried to not let the frustration be shown.

There were several more seconds of silence, their eyes staring at each other; Tony’s full of increasing frustration and Mary’s with tears. After what felt like years, Mary opened her mouth.

“I’m pregnant.”

And Tony’s whole world collapsed.


	2. The Truth

No words escaped Tony’s mouth, the words ‘I’m pregnant’ just circling around his head again and again and again. But where Tony was silent, Mary had found her voice. He wasn’t sure she’d had a proper breath since her reveal.

“. . and i know we used protection but i googled it and it’s only 99% effective so obviously we must be extremely unlucky — i didn’t plan for this i swear, okay, i’m just as shocked as you — i’m literally so scared, i found out about a month ago and i just didn’t know what to do so i tried to ignore it, stupid i know, but then last week i popped — thats what they say when a p-pregnant woman starts to show — and i just freaked out and realised that this baby is like real, you know — and i know you’re the father because i haven’t slept with anyone in the time frame for the conception and-“

“Hold up,” Tony stuttered out, finally waking up from his daze. “You can’t be pregnant, this just can’t be happening right now!”

With the weight of the announcement suddenly lifted off of Mary’s shoulders, Tony found that she was actually a lot less timid than he’d originally thought. At his outburst, her eyebrows furrowed together and there seemed to be an aura of anger surrounding her now.

“Why because its inconceivable that sex leads to a baby?” She sassed, hands on her hips. Tony could tell now why drunk him had gravitated towards her now, she was actually quite fiery in spirit.

“This isn’t happening,” Tony mumbled again, seemingly lost in his own little bubble. He’s moving on now, he’s becoming a better person . . . he decided, when Pepper took him back, that he was leaving all his mistakes behind. All his drunken shenanigans, the drama with the Avengers— he was looking forward, leaving all that in the past. He couldn’t exactly leave this in the past.

“Stop freaking out!” Mary’s anger subsided, her voice wobbling as her baby’s father refused to leave his denial. This wasn’t exactly how she’d pictured her life going at all. She was studying biochemistry at Columbia University, she wanted to be a scientist in several years time. Her entire life she’s had a plan: get an education, get a job, get married THEN have children. Preferably two: a boy and girl. The perfect white picket fence life with a man at her side who loved her and a golden retriever dog to take on walks.

Being 18, pregnant whilst in her first year of College with the father being a man more than double her age who had his own freaking finance . . . somehow, she never imagined her life ending up like this when she dreamt about her future as a child. When her teachers had asked her where she’d be in 10 years at the age of 8, she never would’ve jumped up and yelled about being pregnant out of wedlock to a man she’d drunkenly slept with.

She knew going to that bar had been a mistake. Mary wasn’t the sort of girl who got a fake ID and went partying for the sake of it. A classmate at Columbia had turned 21 and invited Mary and a few friends out to the bar the night she’d met Tony; not wanting to be left out, Mary had brought a fake ID so she could party with her friends. Turns out she was a lightweight. She vaguely remembers meeting Tony, thinking that the man flirting with her was just a wannabe trying to get her into bed. It had worked. 

And then a month ago, she realised she hadn’t had her period since that night. And she was constantly throwing up. Every morning was the same routine: wake up, puke, brush teeth, puke again. 

She watched as Tony struggled to come to grips with the information, hardly blaming him for taking it hard when she’d been the same. The night Mary had stared at her positive pregnancy test, she’d cried so hard that she worked herself into a panic attack. Her roommates had banged on her door for hours, asking if she was okay. But she wasn’t. 

“I get its hard,” Mary wheezed, feeling the rise of panic rush up her spine again. Tears clouded her vision for a second and she staggered. “I totally get that this is hard!” Because God, was it hard. 18 years old and having another life growing within her. It was too late for an abortion now, having been unknowing about the pregnancy for so long and attempting to ignore it when she did find out. 

Even if abortion was on the cards, she doubted that she would’ve chosen it. Mary was all for pro-choice, it was her body therefore her right to make decisions in relation to it. But her parents could be quite religious when they wanted to be and she knew she personally couldn’t do it. No shade to any other women who chose it— like she said, it was all about what the woman wanted. 

Tony suddenly seemed to notice that Mary was swaying slightly, his disbelief subsiding as he moved to catch her before she could fall. He lead her over to the sofa and ignored her mumble thanks in order to get her something to drink. 

“Thank you,” Mary repeated, sipping the water several seconds later.

“How far along are you?” Tony whispered, half not wanting to believe it, half wishing this was all a nightmare. He prayed that he was about to wake up, Pepper laying beside him, her face angelic and not what she would look like when he told her this news. He groaned again. 

“Around four months,” Mary told him honestly. And it added up: he’d been partying four months ago. She was one of the last women he’d slept with before Rhodey’s pep talk.

“Shit,” he mumbled, running his hand through his hair.

“I totally get that i’m upheaving your life— i saw the news, by the way. Congratulations on your engagement.”

The words burned themselves into his brain and he found himself lashing out at the pregnant woman sitting on his sofa. “No, you don’t get to come in here, tell me you’re pregnant and then congratulate me on my engagement! You don’t get to do that!”

Mary’s face set into a frown, the glass of water held so tightly that Tony wasn’t sure how it didn’t break. “Give me a break! I thought you had the right to know before i gave the child away, otherwise you’d just hate me for not telling you years down the line— if it ever came out! I didn’t ask for this either, okay?”

Tony ran another hand over his face, calming himself down. “I’m sorry, this is just hard to take in.”

Mary nodded. “No shit, i’m 18.”

“You said you’re giving the child away?” The brushed over fact finally hit Tony, she was gonna give his potential child away . . . 

“Yeah, i can’t raise a child. I’m not mature enough nor do i want to give up my future for this. I’m already looking into adoption agencies; there’s quite a few family’s looking to adopt babies.”

The words sent a shiver down his spine. Tony wondered if he would’ve preferred to have never found out about the child, imagining a life where Mary never showed up and he lived in denial. Somehow, the life he created didn’t sit right with him. He’d rather know, he realised. 

Tony was about to open his mouth when the elevator dinged, all the blood rushing out of his face as he realised that Pepper had come home. The woman in question was dressed elegantly in a navy blue formfitting dress and her hair tied up into a ponytail. She was talking on the phone to someone when her eyes darted across the room, finding her fiancé’s wide-eyed expression and the gaping teenager on her sofa. 

“I’ll have to call you back,” Pepper hung up, a frown flitting across her face as she walked over to the pair. “Tony, whose your friend?” There was no distrust or jealousy in her tone, just confusion.

“Ah, honey— i wasn’t expecting you home for another hour!”

Pepper’s eyes narrowed slightly. “I left early.” She turned to Mary and extended her hand. “Pepper Potts.”

“Wow,” Mary breathed. “I absolutely adore you Ms Potts! I wrote an essay about you, actually, in high school for my powerful women enrichment.”

“I’m honoured,” Pepper smiled slightly. “And you are?”

“Mary Fitzpatrick, Ms Potts.” 

“You can call me Pepper. You’re in high school, you say?”

Mary shook her head, suddenly nervous again. “Ah no, i’m in my first year at Columbia.”

“Thats a very good College, congratulations for getting in.”

“Thank you Ms Potts, it means a lot.” Mary blushed. Tony watched with apprehension, it felt like a ticking time bomb down until the truth revealed itself. He tried to remember how Pepper handled all the fake pregnancy scares back in his original playboy days, women constantly turning up and claiming he’d fathered their child. She’d always been slightly judgemental (that was just Pepper) but she’d kept a cool head, dealing with the issue until each time it was resolved.

Tony didn’t think this situation was going to be resolved as easily as a negative paternity test. And this time, Pepper wasn’t his PA but his fiancé. Would she still want to marry him when she found out? Their relationship had been far more solid since the engagement than it had years prior but he didn’t know what could ruin it.

“And you know Tony how?” Pepper asked again, her voice polite but Tony could hear the ‘what shit have you gotten yourself into’ hidden in her tone.

“She’s pregnant.” Tony blurted out the facts. There was no point beating around the bush and if Pepper left him, at least he could pride himself on being completely honest. Who was he kidding, if she left him then he wasn’t sure how he’d cope.

Pepper didn’t reply for several minutes, her face not giving anything away but her eyes bulging slightly. “Ah,” she spoke up finally. “And the child is yours?”

Tony nodded stiffly.

“I want to see the DNA results,” Pepper demanded suddenly.

“I haven’t actually gotten any,” Mary spoke quietly, retreating into herself the way she had when coming to see Tony.

Pepper whirled around to her fiancé, anger evident in her eyes. “If there’s no biological evidence, then how do you know the child is yours?” She quickly turned to Mary. “No offence.” 

“I’m kinda taking her word for it, honey.”

“Oh don’t you ‘honey’ me Tony Stark!” Pepper seethed. “You potentially got someone pregnant!”

“It’s definitely his,” Mary unhelpfully squeaked in.

Pepper continued as if she hadn’t heard her. “How long have you known about this?” 

“Just today,” Tony sighed, not in the mood to argue with her. He watched as a slight wave of empathy overcame her before she pulled on her CEO face and began to make a call. “Who’re you phoning-“

“Helen Cho, now shh!” Pepper hissed, speaking quickly but quietly to the other woman on the line, essentially offering a large sum of money for the woman to come to their penthouse with the correct medical equipment for a prenatal paternity test. 

“This really isn’t necessary,” Mary tried to argue as they waited in an awkward silence for Helen Cho.

“Oh i think it is,” Pepper scoffed. “Do you know how many women have tried to use fake paternity claims to gain money from Tony?”

“I don’t want money!” Mary squealed, her face going red and her voice too high. “Really, i don’t! I don’t even want the baby!”

At that Pepper stepped back, her eyebrows furrowing. “What do you mean? You don’t want the child?”

“She’s looking into adoption,” Tony spoke up, having been silent for several minutes. Despite being in a somewhat stable relationship where both partners were equals, Pepper had the power to make him feel like a child being told off when she was angry. 

“You came here just to tell Tony about the child, nothing more nothing less?”

Mary nodded. “I thought he had a right to know.”

Pepper closed her mouth at that, only speaking again when FRIDAY declared Helen Cho had arrived and was setting up in their penthouse medical suite. Tony felt like he was being led to his execution as Pepper ushered both him and Mary to where the doctor was. 

“I’ll have you know this is not my usual expertise,” Helen Cho greeted them, setting up her equipment and laying out a cloth over a medical bed. She gestured for Mary to lay down on it. The young girl swallowed hard, her feet feeling like they weighed a tonne as she shuffled over to the bed. 

“Before we start, there are some medical and ethical issues a prenatal paternity test can create.” She turned to Mary and spoke matter of factly. “This procedure can cause a small risk of miscarriage; it is your choice about whether to continue with this risk or not.”

Mary shuffled uncomfortably, her face slightly pale. After a few minutes of thinking it over, she nodded slowly. “I’ll take the risk.”

Helen Cho nodded as she started the process. “A normal paternity test can take days for results to come back,” she told no one in particular. “But i’m guessing with your AI, Stark, it should only take minutes once i extract the foetus’ DNA.” Tony had to look away as Helen brought out a long needle, telling Mary she was about to feel a sharp pinch. 

It felt like years when Helen finally announced that she had succeeded in the DNA retrieval process, quickly pulling out some ultrasound technology to check the baby’s heartbeat. For some reason, Tony could feel his own heart rate spiking as anxiety coursed through him. It was only relieved when Helen Cho smiled, stating that the baby’s heartbeat was as healthy as ever. 

Tony coughed, clearing his throat and trying to dispel any emotion he currently felt. The idea of the baby being lost made him feel sick. “Alright FRIDAY, you know what to do.” He called out to his AI as the DNA was scanned and compared to old samples she’d stored on her database from him.

After what felt like a lifetime, his AI declared the DNA match complete. He could feel everyone holding their breathes as they waited for the results. Pepper’s face was stoic but he could hear the slight impatient tap of her foot, Mary was staring down at her lap with a relaxed yet anxious expression and even Helen Cho seemed invested. 

Tony wanted to choke when FRIDAY called out “There is a 99.9% match from the sampled DNA to Boss’.” He refused to look at Pepper as she let out a quiet gasp, her tapping stopping as quickly as it started. 

He was going to be a father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay i know nothing about prenatal paternity tests so all of this is probably completely inaccurate but leave it up to the imagination :)))


	3. Uncle Rhodey

It was three days after the DNA results came back positive that Tony broke the news to his best friend. Like they usually did, they’d gone to a nice restaurant somewhere in Manhattan to catch up and talk. Unlike they usually did, Tony actually something important and life changing to tell his best friend.

Rhodey had been by his side through everything. He’d been there during his disastrous MIT days, when his parents had passed, throughout the decades of partying and drinking and women, the early Iron Man days, the Avengers, the Accords, his recent drunken few months . . . each time Tony had acted like a dick, Rhodey had been there to either offer a shoulder or snap him out of it. 

Tony worried if this would be one thing too much for Rhodey to handle. His best friend had been overjoyed at the announcement of his and Pepper’s engagement, having told Tony that he was proud for where his life was leading him. Well, now Tony’s life was leading him sideways and he couldn’t help but wonder if Rhodey would be disappointed. 

“So how have you and the future Mrs been?” Rhodey smirked as he dug into his chips. He gave Tony a knowing look, obviously expecting him to gush about Pepper and how nervous and excited he was for the wedding.

Rhodey wasn’t expecting the reluctant sigh that escaped Tony’s lips. “She’s doing fine; busy at SI though.”

In fact, Tony had hardly spoken to his fiancé since Mary had left three days ago. Pepper’s gasp at one of Tony’s one night stands finally being truthful in the paternity of their child had taken a toll on her. She was asleep before Tony could even stumble into the room at night and was at work before he could even wake up. And when she was at home, he was in the lab trying to avoid her. 

They hadn’t spoken and Tony was terrified if they did, it would end with a ring being shoved at him. 

“Trouble at home?” Rhodey frowned.

“I guess you could say that.”

“Look, man, if it’s wedding jitters, you don’t have to worry. You’re a natural at public appearances and Pepper— whilst she will deny this— loves you for it. And you’ll be a great husband, i know it.”

Tony decided now was just as good a time as ever to break the news. “Will i be a good father though?”

Rhodey’s face morphed into confusion for one second before he lit up like a christmas tree. “Pepper’s expecting?” The sheer giddiness in his voice made Tony hate himself. God, he suddenly wished it was Pepper who was expecting.

Tony cleared his throat, swallowing hard. “Uh no, Pepper isn’t pregnant.”

“Then?”

“I got some girl pregnant four months ago during my encore of partying and drinking.” The words felt bitter leaving his mouth, like it was the most disgusting thing he could’ve ever said. “We found out three days ago when the girl came over to tell me.” The fact he said girl and not woman made him shiver. 

Rhodey didn’t reply for several seconds and for one brief moment, Tony thought his friend was going to suddenly push his chair back and leave. He really wished that didn’t happen.

Thankfully, Rhodey remained seated, his mouth opening and closing in utter defeat. “Did you just say-“

“That i got someone pregnant before Pepper and I got back together, yeah i did. And added information: the girl is 18 years old. I knocked up a teenager, Rhodey. God, how could i have been so stupid!”

Rhodey looked ready to pass out at all the information flying at him. “Did you know she was 18?”

“No of course not. I was too drunk to care or ask on the night and only found out because she came to tell me that she was carrying my fucking child! In 5 months i’m going to be a father— only except not really because she’s giving the child up for adoption.”

The hysterical tone in his voice seemed to snap Rhodey out of his daze. “And how is Pepper taking it? I’m guessing she knows?”

“Oh she didn’t believe it at first!” Tony spoke in an overly cheery voice, the obvious snark whipping out the words like a leash. “She made Mary— because that’s the girl’s name!— take a DNA test which obviously showed me as the father! We haven’t spoken since!”

“Okay, okay,” Rhodey frowned. “Calm down Tones, take some deep breathes.” Tony did as he was told, looking to his best friend for help. 

“What do i do Rhodey?”

“What do you want to do?” 

The words made Tony pause. What did he want to do? There was nothing he could do about the situation now, that child had been conceived and there were no take backs. In 5 months his kid was going to be born and Tony would be a father— whether he was involved or not. 

The idea of his baby being adopted by strangers still made his stomach turn in knots but he tried to quell the thoughts.

“I don’t know,” he admitted, placing his head in his hands. 

“Tones, i’ve known you since you were some lanky, too smart for his own good 15 year old kid at MIT so i think i have a fair collection of background knowledge to tell you that you would be a pretty good father.”

Tony’s head shot out of his hands. “What?” Rhodey did not say what he expected.

“I know you’re own dad was pretty shit— really shit actually— and with that came a triad of issues but it’s only ever made you stronger. As much as you’ll try to dismiss it, you’re one of the most caring people i know. Look at what you did for my legs,” he pointed to the inbuilt crutches that were the only things allowing him to walk. “Look at your suits. 

You like to pretend that you’re so untouchable and indifferent, especially to the press, but the Tony Stark that i’ve gotten to know, cares so much and so deeply. You’d be a great dad. I think you need to hear that before you let your own self-doubt and loathing make a major play in your decision.”

“But Pepper-“

“Loves you, Tones.” Rhodey reassured. “I won’t lie that is probably a massive surprise for her but regardless of what happens between you two, i’m here. I’ll support whatever decision you make.”

“I have no decision, that’s the thing.” Tony admitted. “Mary made up her mind, she’s giving the kid away!”

“Man, you have a decision too— as the father. She made her choice, thinking she was going to have to do this alone. You have a right to have a say too and whatever your choice, you won’t be alone.”

“You expected this, didn’t you?” Tony stated a few minutes of silence later. 

Rhodey chuckled lightly, going back to his food. “I expected it a few decades ago i’ll be honest. I didn’t think you’d make it to your 30th birthday without a mini you running around. Obviously i was right, my timing was just a little off.”

Tony chuckled softly before going serious again. “What do you think i should do?”

“I can’t make your decisions for you Tones!”

“But if you were me and some girl tells you that’s she pregnant— what would you do?”

“Well,” Rhodey paused for a second. “I’d ask myself if i’m ready to be a father. And then i’d ask myself if i could live with not playing a role in my child’s life. If the latter was a no, then i’d think the first question kinda nulls itself out.”

The words left an indent in Tony’s mind. Would he be okay with knowing that his child was out there in the world and having no part of their life. He wondered if he’d wake up one day, a few years down the line and wish he’d chosen differently. 

Was he ready to be a father? That was a solid no. He was definitely not ready; he could barely look after himself let alone a tiny, helpless infant who would need him for the next 18 and more years. A child would mean dropping his emotional barriers and bettering himself so he’s worthy of being a role model. It meant censoring his language and speaking in stupid baby talk and staying up all hours of the night when the kid screamed and pooped and ate. 

It meant trying every second of every day to be better than what Howard had been.

So was Tony ready for all that? No. He doubted he ever would be.

Could he live with not playing a role in his child’s life? Tony thought long and hard about the question before internally sighing. No, he couldn’t live with himself. He’d constantly worry about where the kid went, who took him in, were the family nice? Did they love him? He’d probably end up using FRIDAY to hack into whatever files mentioned his child, reading through their education and medical files until Tony’s heart ached at what he’d missed out on. 

He knew that every morning on that kid’s birthday he’d wake up and wonder what life would’ve been like if it had been him who would’ve planned the birthday parties and ordered the cakes and brought the presents. Each Christmas, he’d hear the ghost sounds of children’s giggles and screams of ‘look what Santa got me!’

Rhodey had been right, not being able to live with himself if he gave up on his kid did outweigh his feelings of not being ready for a child.

“Oh shit,” Tony mumbled, placing his head in his hands again. After three days of constant anxiety and feelings of confusion, he’d finally made his decision. He knew what he was going to do and for some reason, the knot in his stomach unclenched as he made up his mind.

Holy crap he was going to be a Dad. Like an actual, present and loving father. He was going to be there for the midnight feedings and the nappy changes. He was going to read to his kid each night and teach them to tie their shoes. He was going to be there from birth to childhood to adulthood. The thought was absolutely terrifying yet freeing at the same time. 

A small part of him acknowledged that this was always going to be the outcome; he’d subconsciously made up his mind the second Mary had told him three days ago. 

Rhodey chuckled as he continued to eat; he’d known what his best friend was going to choose to do the second he’d been told about the pregnancy. And he couldn’t be happier.

“Oh man Tones, i can’t wait to be an Uncle!”


	4. Mama Pepper

If someone had asked 10 year old Pepper where she saw herself in a few decades, she would’ve perfectly guessed that she would be running a multi-billion dollar company. Even as a child, she had been aspirational. But she never would’ve guessed the status of her personal life. 

Even as a motivationally driven child, she’d paused from moment to moment to imagine a more domestic life. She dreamt of the life her own mother had: staying at home to care for a child, cooking and cleaning in the perfect American bliss. She dreamt of names to call her future children and she always thought about how loving she would be as a mother. 

During really challenging times, when her career felt stuck and the stress became too much, she would dream about her future beautiful babies face, thinking about how much her future self would love it. 

She always saw a child similar to her, with strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes. But when she fell in love with Tony, their relationship becoming serious and she started to see only a future where their lives intertwined, the face of her imaginary baby changed. Gone was the light complexion, instead replaced with the brown eyes and dark hair of the man she loves. 

When Mary Fitzpatrick’s paternity test had revealed that Pepper’s fiancé was the baby’s father, the word devastated had been an understatement. Whilst she and Tony had never sat down and had a serious conversation about children, Pepper had always wanted them. Her professional, workaholic attitude made her appear to put her job before her personal issues— which was very true in almost every sense. But children were different.

Pepper had always been under the impression that when the timing was right, she’d take a slight step back as CEO in order to become a mother. Of course, she never intended to give up her job but she was willing to put personal matters relating to her children at the front of her priorities. 

Pepper sighed, rubbing her forehead in frustration. It had been three days since the big reveal and she still hadn’t spoken to Tony. Her logical side was telling her that she really should’ve by now but her emotional distress of the situation couldn’t work up enough courage. Each time she came home from work, Tony would be in his workshop avoiding her and she couldn’t stand the thought of the due conversation, meaning she went to bed before he would leave the lab and she woke up extremely early to not see him in the morning. It was like one big toxic pattern.

She loved Tony; Pepper couldn’t imagine a life without him driving her crazy with his overzealous antics. But the pregnancy news had broken her a little. It wasn’t exactly easy when the man you wanted to marry was going to have a baby with some random teenage girl.

“Ms Potts, you have a visitor,” her assistant poked her head into the office.

Pepper frowned as she checked her watch. She had about 25 minutes before she needed to leave for a meeting with the board. “Who is it?”

“I still think its insane that i need to ask your assistant to come see my fiancé,” Tony’s voice rang out as the man in question walked into Pepper’s office. Immediately, Pepper felt sick to her stomach but she kept on an unamused face. 

“Tony,” Pepper nodded at him in greeting. “I’m busy can this wait?”

Tony pulled a face as he sat in one of the chairs opposite her desk. “That’s funny considering your assistant told me you don’t have another meeting for,” he checked his watch to perfectly show his point. “24 minutes.”

“Tony i’m really not in the mood,” Pepper tried another approach. She tried to uphold eye contact but each time she stared into his brown eyes, she saw her imaginary babies eyes. 

“That’s why i’m here Pep,” Tony sounded far more serious than Pepper had heard since he’d asked her to marry him. “I want to apologise.”

“Apologise for getting another woman pregnant before we got back together?”

Tony winced. “Yes, i was so stupid and i know this must be hard. I love you Pep, i always have and i always will and i get that this isn’t what you signed up for-“

“Are you breaking up with me?” Pepper’s sadness disappeared, instead filled with anger. Was he seriously going to break up with her right now? How dare he!

“W-what?” Tony’s eyes bulged. “No! Pep, God no. I was trying to tell you that i loved you and if you wanted to break up with ME then i would understand!”

“Don’t be so obtuse,” Pepper rolled her eyes. “I’m not breaking up with you.”

“You aren’t?” Tony sounded completely shocked. 

“You really thought i was going to leave you?” Pepper’s voice softened at Tony’s short nod.

“Well yeah, you don’t deserve this Pep.”

“I want you Tony,” Pepper admitted. Three days of bottling up her emotions and her thoughts on this being unleashed. “Sure, this is hard and completely unexpected but i was your PA for a long time, i’m used to all things unplanned in Tony Stark’s life.”

“Pep, it’s not just that-“

“You’re planning to keep the child,” Pepper nodded, a small smile on her face as she said it. “I knew you would.”

Tony looked taken back, “you did?”

“Of course,” she nodded. “The second we found out the paternity, i knew your conscience wouldn’t allow you to just dismiss your child like that.”

“I get that this complicates things,” Tony nodded.

Pepper took a deep breathe, finally finding some happiness in the situation. “A little. But i want to marry you, Tony. And i’m going to be there with the baby.”

“You’ll be a wonderful mum, Pep.” Tony smiled genuinely at her, taking in the sight of the woman he loved who just admitted to always be by his side. 

The words filled her with joy and when the face of her imaginary baby flashed across her mind, Pepper realised it was imaginary no more. In 5 months their home would be filled with a child and whether the baby was her blood or not, she was going to be a mum. 

Even if the baby was not biologically hers, Pepper realised that she was going to love it with all her heart, making the child her first priority and finally being able to carry out her dream of being a mother. 

“Have you phoned Mary?” She asked after a few minutes, still smiling to herself.

“Not yet,” Tony admitted. “I was waiting on telling you.”

Pepper nodded at his thoughtfulness, quickly dialling out the number she’d memorised when the younger girl had left three days ago. She placed the call on speaker and held onto Tony’s hand as he walked around the desk, giving her a light kiss on the lips, his eyes full of love.

“Hello?” Mary’s young voice spoke through the speaker.

“Hi Mary,” Tony called, squeezing his fiancé’s hand tighter. “It’s me: Tony.”

“And i’m here too,” Pepper called, rolling her eyes at Tony’s use of his name. As if Mary didn’t recognise his voice.

“Miss Potts!” Mary squeaked, her fangirl ways flaring up again. “And Tony! AH- uh, what can i do for you?”

“Mary, we want to talk to you about the baby.” Pepper spoke calmly, giving Tony a nod to be the one to make the decision.

“We— Pepper and I — want the child after he or she is born,” Tony’s voice shook slightly but he didn’t let it falter him.

“What?” Mary whispered on the other end.

“We know your current situation is the reason that you’re choosing adoption,” Tony carried on, feeling more confident now. “But i have enough financial backing to support the kid and Pep and i have decided that we would rather have custody of the baby than send it away.”

There was silence on the other end and for a horrifying minute, Tony feared she would say no.

“Would you love him?” Mary whispered, her voice close to tears. “Or her?”

Tony stared at Pepper, his hand squeezing tighter to hers as they locked eyes for a few seconds. It was like a silent understanding passed through the both of them: they already did.

“Yes,” Tony replied with full confidence. 

There was a sob on the other end of the line before Mary began to thank both Tony and Pepper for giving her child a home. 

“There was never any question to it,” Pepper replied, the nausea she’d been feeling over the last few days disappearing. Instead, she was faced with a sense of pure happiness and joy. In a few short months, they were going to be a family. 

In that moment, Pepper knew that her 10 year old self would have never predicted this outcome of her life. But she was so unbelievably happy this was how it worked out.


	5. Second Row, Two From The Right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AKA The Birth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry it took so long to complete this story but here you go! Last Chapter! 
> 
> I hope the fact that this chapter is longer makes up for the delay whoops.
> 
> It got a little bit darker than i intended at first so be warned about mentions of child abuse but i hope that the inclusion of that helps show why Tony fears being a dad so much. 
> 
> Enjoy :)))

The call came at 2 in the morning on the 10th August. For once, Tony was fast asleep beside Pepper, their bodies intertwined under the silk sheets. The ringing was loud and Tony groaned loudly, telling FRIDAY to let whoever was calling know that it was the early hours of the morning and that meant they were currently unavailable.

“I cannot do that Boss,” FRIDAY had retorted, the ringing still echoing loudly through the room. Even Pepper, who could be a pretty deep sleeper when truly exhausted, was beginning to stir.

“And why is that?” He tried not to get angry at his AI but it was so hard not to when it was currently TWO IN THE MORNING.

“As per protocol i am not allowed to decline any call from Mary Fitzpatrick.” 

Tony bolted up in the bed, his mind whirring. Mary was calling? “You should’ve opened with that FRI!” He yelled as he reached for his still ringing phone. “Hello? Mary? Hello?” He tried not to panic but Mary calling so early in the morning either meant something was wrong or . . . 

“T-Tony!” Mary practically screamed down the line. “Help! I’m in labour! I just had this stabbing pain— ow, ow it really hurts! I think i’m having contractions.”

“Tony, what’s going on?” Pepper rolled over in the bed but one look at her fiancé’s panicked face and she knew something was up. “Tony?”

“Mary calm down,” Tony spoke down the phone. He tried to think clearly enough to make sense of the situation. “Where are you?”

“Ow, ow, ow!” Mary yelled, breathing harshly down the line. “I’m in a cab! My dorm buddies called me o-one.”

“Okay good! Good.” He checked the date, Mary wasn’t due for another 2 weeks but he guessed that his kid was just too excited to join the world. He could do this.

“Tony give me the phone,” Pepper held her hand out and he complied straight away.

“Mary, hi it’s Pepper. Just breathe honey; deep breaths, yeah thats it!”

Tony quickly bolted down the corridor to the nursery. The room had been completed weeks ago with white walls and a large crib in the middle of the room. There was an elegant rocking chair to the left of the room with multiple shelves of baby books and toys littered around. Pepper had personally overseen it, smiling the entire time.

The baby bag was placed gently on the floor beside the crib. There were diapers and tiny little newborn outfits inside it with all the other essential necessities. Everything was ready as Tony hitched the bag over his shoulder to meet Pepper by the door. She had gotten changed into a pair of jeans and a causal top, holding her own bag with a set of clothes for Tony to change into at the hospital. They both knew he was too panicked to get changed now.

“Mary’s at the hospital,” Pepper told him as he got closer, pulling his shoes on. “They say she’s not even 4 centimetres dilated yet.”

Tony nods, pretending to know what she means. His mind was still trying to process that the next time he walks through these doors, there will be a baby with them. A tiny human that he needs to set a good example for. Someone who will need his love and protection for the rest of his life.

Pepper places a hand on his cheek, a small smile on her face. “You can do this. Our baby will love you so much. You’re going to be a great father, Tony.”

Tony gives her a short kiss. “We can do this,” he corrects her, earning a large smile from his future wife. He never would’ve seen his life going this way a year ago. When the Rogues had broken away from the Avengers and he’d lost all of his friends, he never would’ve thought ‘hey, what if i had a kid in just over a year?’ 

But as they drove to the hospital, Tony couldn’t help but feel comfort at where his life was taking him. Sure, the Rogues were gone but Pepper was here driving their car to meet their first child. And Rhodey was here too.

“Ah shit, Rhodey!” Tony mumbles, pulling out his phone. He dials his best friend’s number, smirking when the man answers with a grunt. “Oh honey bear wake up!”

“Tones its 2am, why the hell— wait. Is it the baby?” 

Tony nods before realising his friend won’t be able to see him. “Mary’s in labour. You wanna get your ass down to the hospital?”

“I’m already on my way!” Rhodey yells. “Tell that baby to stay put until Uncle Rhodey is there!”

Tony laughs as the phone goes flat, barely noticing they were outside the hospital now. It feels like a mad rush as they walk into reception, demanding to know where Mary Fitzpatrick is. The nurse is tired and barely acknowledges the billionaire and CEO before yelling at them to stop running as they make their way to elevator.

Mary is crying when they get to her room. A nurse is to the side of her, trying to calm her down. With sweat pressing down her locks of hair and tears rolling down her cheeks, Tony can’t help but see how young she is. He can’t help but hate himself a little bit for inflicting this upon her.

“Y-you came!” Mary cried out when she spots Pepper and Tony, holding her hand out. Pepper immediately rushed over and took it, mumbling encouraging words as the teenage girl went through a contraction. After what seemed like years, Mary calmed down and her crying stopped.

“She’s 8 centimetres dilated now,” the nurse tells them, smiling sadly at the young girl. “It’ll all be over soon honey.”

Mary nods, tears pooling up in her eyes. “I’m so glad you came,” she says to Pepper, sweat rolling down her temple as she clings to tight to the woman’s hand.

“Of course,” Pepper pushes the hair out of her face in such a maternal way that any and all fears of Tony’s almost fly out the window. How badly could he mess up if Pepper was there to be the expert for them both?

“Hi Tony,” Mary smiles weakly at where he’s standing by the door. He tries to rack his brain for the moment when he first saw this girl, 9 months ago. All Tony can see is a haze of brown hair and a bright face. She’d looked so radiant. Completely the opposite to the tired, crying child that was before him now. He wondered if he could travel back in time, would he make the same mistakes just so he could end up here or would he do differently so he never had to see Mary Fitzpatrick cry like this again?

“Tony come forward,” Peter turns to him with an encouraging look, holding out her other hand. His feet feel like stone as he slowly makes his way over to his fiancé, gripping her hand like it was his lifeline.

“You excited?” Mary shoots him a smile which only makes him cringe because she just looks so tired. The bags under her eyes are accentuated by the shiny, paleness of her skin. 

“Mary, i’m so sorry,” he tells her because oh my God, he is. He hates how much pain she is in. How much pain she’ll always feel because of this. One stupid mistake on his part and her life was forever ruined.

“Wh-what?” Mary’s eyes widen again, tears filling them as she looks between Tony and Pepper. She’s about to say something else when another contraction hits, her eyes squeezing shut as she groans and cries out. She holds Pepper’s hand so tight that the woman cringes, saying kind words and working her through it. 

Tony just stands there and stares, a look of fear on his face. God, what was he doing? He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t look after a child. He could barely even be there for Mary and she was 18 years old. How could he be there for an infant who needed him for literally just about everything?

The second Mary’s contraction goes away, the fear is back in her eyes. “W-what do you mean y-you’re sorry? Do you not want the b-baby anymore?”

“Honey, no, no,” Pepper calms her, sending a glare to Tony. “Of course we do.”

“I can’t do it,” Tony mumbles, eyes set on Mary and ignoring Pepper’s glare. “I can’t look after a baby, i don’t know what i was thinking.”

“No, no, no,” Mary cries as fresh tears roll down her cheeks. She lets go of Pepper’s hand, her fingers covering her eyes as she sobs. “Please no.”

“Tony, what the hell are you doing?” Pepper turns to him with anger in her voice and pain in her eyes. He tries not to think about the empty nursery that she so painstakingly set up the last few months. He tries not to think about the baby names she roamed over for hours. He wills the dreams he’s had of her, Pepper his future wife, cradling a baby in her arms, away. 

Because he couldn’t ruin someone else’s life. Here he was, ruining poor Mary’s life. Ruining Pepper’s life. He couldn’t ruin the baby’s too.

“No, no,” Mary kept mumbling, sobbing into her hands.

“Tony, you don’t know what you’re saying,” Pepper shook her head. “It’s just nerves. We’ve talked about this. You’re going to be a good father-“

“And what if i’m not Pepper?” He shot back, ignoring Mary’s wails and Pepper’s heartbroken expression. “What if i’m just like Howard?”

“The fact that you’re scared about that shows you won’t be!” Pepper cries out, taking a step towards him. Tony takes one back, shaking his head.

“I can’t risk that.”

“Tony,” Pepper has a small frown on her face, her cheeks getting increasingly pink. “Don’t do this. You’ll regret it in years to come.”

In a way, he knows he will. He knows that 5 years down the line, he’ll wake up on this day and kick himself for letting fear rule him. But right now, the panic is more apart of him than his own blood is. All he can think of is that poor little baby being left unloved and forgotten by him just like Howard treated him. 

He thought of his child (boy or girl, he didn’t know), having the same emotional constipation problems as he has. He imagined his child drinking away their issues, regretting their decisions in the morning. He saw them take almost every drug imaginable to escape their pain. He saw himself, grey and cold like Howard, yelling at them until they hated him so much they couldn’t breathe. 

Tony shook his head, holding his breath as Mary let out another wail, another contraction hitting her. He watched as tears filled Pepper’s eyes before she turned back to the teenage girl, soothing her like the natural mother she could be. He honestly hated himself for taking this away from her.

Before he could begin to doubt himself, he slips out the room. Leaving the room where Mary cried and Pepper was beginning to hate him, filled Tony with so much freedom. His chest felt unbearably tight like he was leaving a part of his heart behind him in that room. He was about to walk down the corridor and leave the goddamn Hospital behind when a hand suddenly was held out in front of him.

“Tones!” Rhodey called his attention, snapping his fingers in his face again. “What’s going on? Has the baby been born? What is it: boy or girl? Tones, is something wrong? Did something happen? . . “

“Rhodey,” Tony falls into his friend, resting his head on the man’s shoulder. God, how did he think he could do this?

“Tones, what happened?” Rhodey sounded panicked now, fear lacing his voice as he wrapped his arms around his friend.

“I can’t do it. I can’t be a father.” 

“This is what it’s about? God, Tones, i thought something terrible happened!”

“Rhodey, i can’t do it.”

“It’s just the nerves man.”

“No seriously,” Tony pulled back with a dead expression. “I can’t do it.”

Rhodey sighed, tugging his friend away. “Come on, let’s get a drink.” Tony follows after his friend as he leads him to the nearest Hospital cafe, ordering a black coffee as they sit opposite each other in silence. Tony just holds his boiling cup of coffee, rubbing the sleep out his eyes. It was nearing 5am when Rhodey broke the silence, reading a message from his phone.

“Pepper just text. Congrats man, your kid was born. You’re now officially a father.”

Tony groaned, downing his boiling coffee, ignoring how it burnt his throat. He placed his head in his hands and willed it all to be a bad dream. Tony just wanted to wake up, the past 5 months having been one big lie.

“Your kid weighs 8 lb exactly. Pep says they have a strong pair of lungs. Mary’s fine too.”

“I messed up Rhodey,” Tony mumbled into his hands.

“About the baby?”

“Not that i conceived it— i couldn’t regret that kid even if i tried.” He clears up, head still in his hands.

“Then what’s the problem?” Rhodey frowned, staring down at his best friend. “Tones, if this was about your dad . . .”

“It’s commonly known that in many situations, children who come from abusive homes become abusers themselves.” Tony looks up from his hands, swallowing hard and setting Rhodey with an unreadable stare. “They become abusers for so many different reasons that i don’t want to divulge in but one of the main reasons is that they do it because it’s all they’ve ever known.”

Tony swallows loudly again, his gaze never leaving Rhodey’s. “All i knew was my father hitting me when i did something mildly inconvenient to him. All i knew was a slap to the face when i spoke out of turn. He broke some of my fingers slamming them in the car door after i embarrassed him at an event when i was 8.”

“Tony. . .” Rhodey looked aghast, hearing this all for the first time.

“My mum never said anything of course,” Tony shrugged, trying to play it off. He failed miserably in the obvious way he was clenching his jaw and there was a tightness around his eyes. “She patched me up and kissed my cheek but she never stopped him when he’d throw me around or chuck something at my head. One summer i wasn’t allowed out the entire holiday because dear ol Dad had thrown a vase at my head and he didn’t want the paparazzi to see my stitches. Shit like that was a common occurrence.

Things got better after i started at MIT; i guess Dad saw me less of a disaster child and more an asset to the company, i don’t know. I was still slapped around but at least he didn’t break any bones when i came home for Christmas. Nothing says Happy Holidays more than a bleeding lip on Christmas Eve like when i was 7.”

“Tony, you won’t be like that,” Rhodey’s frown was so deep that Tony wondered if it was ingrained in him now.

“And how do you know? God, this was why i swore to never have kids! Stark men are just a circle of abuse. I’m sure my grandfather hit my dad and my dad hit me. I don’t want that for my kid. They deserve better than my emotionally crippled ass.”

“You would NEVER hit your kid,” Rhodey growled. “I know this for a fact. Listen Tony: Howard was an ass. A complete ass who treated you horribly and i’m so sorry i never knew. But you can’t let Howard’s terrible parenting affect your own. You’re going to be an amazing Dad, Tony. You just have to open yourself up to the possibility.”

“What if i get drunk one night and make a mistake?”

“As if you would ever get drunk with the kid under the roof,” Rhodey scoffed. “You like to fool people with your untouchable, hard guy armour but i know the real you. Tony, you’re such a softie— i mean this in the nicest way. You care so much about so many people. I know you know where the Rogues are but you refuse to say because you care. 

The fear is eating you up right now but when you see your kid, everything is going to be different.”

Tony shook his head. “I can’t do it.”

“Yes you can,” Rhodey held his shoulder, with a small smile. “And you will. Because like it or not, there is baby in this Hospital who needs you to look after them.”

“I’ll just be like my fathe—“

“Don’t finish that sentence. Ever. Because we both know that you would never lay a hand on your child. What Howard did was unforgivable and it’s something i want you to be more open about in the future. But for now, i need you to trust me when i say that you’re not him. I wouldn’t have stuck around all these years if you were.”

They sit in silence for a little longer before Rhodey begins to stand up. The time is nearing 6am by now, almost an hour since his kid was born. Already he was failing as a Dad. “I’m going to head up Tones, i want to see how Pepper’s doing and meet your kid. Come up when your ready, okay? Just make sure you come up; you’ll never forgive yourself if you don’t.” And then Rhodey leaves Tony with his fears and thoughts.

He can still hear his mother’s panicked “You’re okay”s and his father’s glass sloshing with alcohol. He still feels the fear and helplessness like when he was a child.

But then he thinks of his own baby: a blank slate with none of his baggage. This was his chance of starting again. Of being the man he’d wished his own father had been.

Before Tony even knows what he was doing, he pushes back from the cafe table, throwing a twenty down as he walked out. It feels like he’s on autopilot as he walks down the long corridors towards the maternity ward. He can hear as nurses chatted and doctors walked between rooms. The feeling of fatigue was all around, people with bags under their eyes pacing the waiting rooms. At one point, Tony stopped and watched as a man in scrubs walked towards a group of people with a large smile on his face. “It’s girl,” he calls to the crowd as they all cheer and cry, rejoicing in a new neice, granddaughter and sister. 

When Tony reaches the glass staring at the row of babies lined up beside each other, he can’t help but smile. They all look so cute and tiny in their pink or blue blankets, little hats on their heads as they wiggle around or sleep. His eyes roam over them, feeling a sense of loss as he doesn’t even know which one is his own. 

Tony didn’t even know if he had a son or daughter.

Rhodey comes up behind him after several minutes. There’s something proud in his voice as he nods towards one of the cribs. “Second row, two from the right.”

Tony follows his instructions, his eyes landing on his child for the first time. Wrapped up in a blue blanket was the most beautiful baby he’d ever seen. The little thing was fast asleep, mouth opened a tint fraction and their cheeks tinged pink.

“It’s a . . “

“Boy,” Rhodey nodded. “You have a perfectly healthy son, congrats Tones.”

“A son,” he breaths out. He had a son. He was the father of a son. It felt surreal. 

A nurse walked up to them and Tony noticed she’d been the one who’d calmed Mary down earlier that morning. There was a small smile on her face, like she’d been expecting this moment. “Do you want to meet your son, Mr Stark?”

Tony’s eyes went back to the baby swaddled in blue. His son. His head nodded before his brain even understood what that meant. The nurse’s smile grew as she beckoned him to follow her through the small door beside the large window. His steps felt heavy with each movement but somehow he managed to follow her to where his baby boy was laying in the crib.

The nurse lifted the baby up gently, hands in perfect position as she turned to him. 

“What if i drop him?” Tony looked at her in fear. He hoped she’d see what a lost cause he was and put the baby back in the crib.

“You won’t,” she smiles kindly. “It’s instinct.” She steps closer, slowly and carefully transferring the baby into Tony’s arms. The nurse corrects his grip before smiling again, leaving Tony alone with his son.

God, he had a son.

His boy was even more beautiful up close, his baby nose small and cute and his lips full and parted as he slept. There was a small mop of hair peaking out from under his tiny hat and Tony swallowed hard, seeing the brown curls. His son had curls. . . 

Tony wasn’t sure how long he stood there, holding his son. All he knew was that with each second, the panic was rising up more and more. He was about to call out for the nurse and burst out of the Hospital with the same thoughts of ‘i can’t do this, i can’t do this, i can’t do this’ when his son started to move.

The movements were tiny at first but after a few seconds, Tony realised the kid was beginning to wake up. His lips wobbled a little bit and Tony could feel his little fists trying to move around in the blanket. 

And then everything stopped. Time, space, life itself, for the second his son opened up his eyes, Tony fell madly in love. Big, brown eyes identical to his own, looked up at him with awe and warmth. It was like his son knew who he was for the second they made eye contact, it felt like an instant bond was made. Tony knew that no matter what, he would do anything to make this baby happy and keep him safe. His son was his life and he would be goddamned if he gave that up now. 

“Hi baby,” Tony mumbled, freeing one hand to stroke it across his son’s face. The baby looked up at him with a look of pure trust that Tony wanted to cry. He already loved his son more than his own life.

“You came back,” Pepper’s voice sounded behind him, slightly surprised. Tony turned to her with tears in his eyes as the woman stepped forward, wiping them away as they slipped down his cheeks.

“He’s so perfect,” Tony whispered, looking back at his son’s innocent expression.

“I know,” Pepper smiled down at the baby too, her fingers running across his forehead. “I love him already, so so much.”

Tony nodded. “Me too.”

“I’m glad you came back,” she whispered, kissing his cheek. “I would’ve hated to raise this baby alone because i think we both knew i wasn’t going to leave him.”

Tony chuckled, kissing her temple. “I love you. I’m sorry about before, i freaked out. . .”

“It’s okay,” Pepper’s hands brushed away some of his hair. “Rhodey told me some things that we should talk about another time.” Tony nodded, feeling the weight leave his chest. The past 5 months of fear felt irrelevant now as he held his beautiful son and kissed his soon-to-be wife. “But right now, i just want to focus on him.”

They smiled down at the baby, his brown eyes darting between the two with curiousity. Pepper leaned forward and kissed his forehead, breathing in his newborn scent. “God, he’s my rock already.” She admitted. “I don’t know how i managed to survive without him for so long.”

“I never thought i deserved such a blessing,” Tony admitted to which Pepper kissed him again.

“We need to name him,” she stated after a few minutes. 

Tony thought about it for a second, a name he’d read a while ago coming back to him when Pepper spoke about their son being her rock. “Peter,” he mumbles before repeating it louder. “What about Peter?”

“Peter Stark,” Pepper tries it out before smiling. “I love it. It’s perfect.”

“He’s perfect,” Tony stares down at his wonderful son. His new beginning. His chance to be a better man. Tony was determined to set the best possible example for Peter and he vowed to be the man that Peter deserved.

The next few hours before returning home with Pepper and Peter seemed like a blur. Between apologising to Mary and saying goodbye as she signed over her parental rights to the couple, to introducing his best friend to the newest member of the Stark family: Peter Benjamin James Stark— Tony was exhaused. 

It was nearing 9am by the time they got settled in at home, a full 4 hours since Peter had graced the world. Already, the couple couldn’t imagine a life without their beautiful son.

“You’re going to be a great dad,” Pepper whispered as they watched Peter sleep in his crib. Tony had his arms wrapped around her waist, her head resting on his collarbone.

Tony stared at his sleeping son, watching the rise and fall of his chest as his tiny body fidgeted soundlessly. He thought of Peter’s identical eyes to his own and the mop of curls growing on his scalp. He thought of the baby’s soft skin and the way his fingers curled around Tony’s when they’d changed him into a onesie in the Hospital before bringing him home.

“I know,” Tony kissed her shoulder, finding truth in the words. For once, he wasn’t afraid about the decision he’d made. Because where he couldn’t predict the future, the one thing Tony knew for certain that not a day would go by that he didn’t try his very best to be all that Peter deserved.

After a lifetime of searching, Tony found happiness. And he swore to never lose it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> can u tell i hate Howard Stark whoops?
> 
> also Peter means 'stone' in Greek which where Ton got the inspiration from Pepper to name their son
> 
> pls comment ur love :)


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